Roles and Functions of Metabolites in the Development and Progression of Metabolic Diseases

Metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, represent a growing global health burden. Despite advances in understanding their pathophysiology, early diagnosis and effective treatment remain challenging. Metabolites, as end products of cellular regulatory processes, provide a direct snapshot of physiological and pathological states. Emerging evidence suggests that dysregulation of specific metabolites plays a critical role in disease initiation and progression. However, the exact roles, causal relationships, and mechanistic insights of metabolites in metabolic diseases are still not fully elucidated.

This Research Topic aims to address these gaps by integrating experimental and computational approaches to explore the functional impact of metabolites in metabolic disorders. We seek to compile cutting-edge research that elucidates the roles and functions of metabolites in the development and progression of metabolic diseases. We particularly encourage submissions that identify novel metabolite biomarkers, establish causal associations between metabolite dysregulation and disease pathogenesis, and investigate interactions between metabolites and key pathophysiological mechanisms. Our goal is to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that bridges basic science and clinical applications, ultimately contributing to improved diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases.

We welcome original research, review, opinion, and perspective articles employing both experimental (human, in vivo, in vitro) and computational (metabolomics-integrated transcriptomics, network pharmacology, Mendelian randomization, meta-analysis, etc.) methodologies. Specific themes of interest include but are not limited to:
• Identification and validation of novel metabolite biomarkers for metabolic diseases
• Causal inference between metabolite alterations and disease onset or progression
• Mechanistic studies on metabolite-mediated regulation of metabolic pathways
• Multi-omics integration to unravel metabolite–gene–protein interactions
• Therapeutic targeting of metabolite-related pathways

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: metabolic disorder, metabolic disease, metabolic reprogramming, metabolite, dysregulations in metabolic pathways, diabetes, obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, cancer endocrinology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.